The Cartographers’ Guild is a forum created by and for map makers and aficionados, a place where every aspect of cartography can be admired, examined, learned, and discussed. Our membership consists of professional designers and artists, hobbyists, and amateurs—all are welcome to join and participate in the quest for cartographic skill and knowledge.

Although we specialize in maps of fictional realms, as commonly used in both novels and games (both tabletop and role-playing), many Guild members are also proficient in historical and contemporary maps. Likewise, we specialize in computer-assisted cartography (such as with GIMP, Adobe apps, Campaign Cartographer, Dundjinni, etc.), although many members here also have interest in maps drafted by hand.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ. You will have to register before you can post or view full size images in the forums.

Hybrid View

In great need of a Fantasy World Map

Hello! I have been planning out a world setting for my fourth edition dnd campaign, and I would love to have a visually appealing custom world map. I would be happy to pay for an artists hard work, allthough free is good too

Most of the world map may be creatively filled in at the artists whim.

There are a few particulars I would like to have on the map, if possible.

The map would essentially be a single large continent, aprox. 4000 miles by 4000 miles across. I am thinking bulky in the middle and a bit 'stringier' at the outer edges. A few islands near the main land mass would be nice as well.

A large inland sea/great lake, aprox 150 miles x 150 miles accross, that must be close to the center of the land mass.

A large river emerging from a mountains area, feeding into the inland sea, and out of the other side of the inland sea, ultimately reaching the coast, with marsh/swampland on the side nearest the inland sea. Plains/farmland terrain on the side away from the inland sea.

The terrain along the river and the shores of the inland sea would be plains/farmland terrain, mostly.

The river would be as long as the nile/amazon, a good 4000 miles, and average 2-3 miles wide. The river would span most of the land mass.

The map would have many regions of mountains, hills, rivers, forest, grassland, plains, etc..even the elusive forested hills!

I will be working on a rough sketch that explains my unusual desires for the map. The vast majority will be at the artists whim, however.

I will add towns,cities. roads, national borders, etc. once I see what the map is like, and that can be done by either the artist or me, whatever ends up working best.

Have you planned the campaign setting already?
I ask because I've got a campaign setting that could do with some play testing (the link is in the signature). It's a low-fantasy setting, magic being present but rare rather than all-pervasive. I've done maps and outlines of the regions on my website. The world may fit what you're looking for in terms of terrain. I don't have the huge river, but I do have two continents separated by a sea.

Google Groups for FGII Games:European FG2 RPG - Fridays & Sundays (8pm UK time)
Using Ultimate FGII and can accept unlicensed player connections on some of the games

Well, the idea behind the inland sea/lake is that a nation expanded around it and has farmland along the shores, and along the riverbanks. I see now the sea must be much larger, so the nation that surrounds it can be somewhat donut shaped. I think the sea needs to be about 600 miles in diameter, but more oval shaped to make it look better. The nation around the sea is intended to be landlocked, perhaps a swath of land 100 miles or so thick wrapped around the inland sea and 100 miles or so on each side of the river near the sea, about 400 miles up and down the river from the sea.

You got the placement of the river and sea exactly how I wanted it, by the way. The upper northwest of the river would be mountainous, and southwest of the bottom part of the river would be swamp/marsh.

Thanks for checking my proportions, can't have an inland sea thats too tiny, now can we?